How We Started A $115 Million Açai Empire Called Playa Bowls | The Ground Up

In May 2014, Rob Giuliani, 40, and Abby Taylor, 33, began crafting açai bowls from their food cart on the side of Ocean Avenue in Belmar, New Jersey. Inspired by their surf travels in Costa Rica, the two were motivated to bring beachgoers a healthier food option, with their own Jersey twist.
They decided to invest $7,000 into the business and launch in front of a pizzeria and their apartment on the side of the road near the beach. Business was slow to start, but they decided to do some guerrilla marketing and go on the beach to pass out flyers to beachgoers to get the word out. Soon after, long lines started to form in front of the cart and people were enjoying the bowls and smoothies.
It wasn’t until a year later that Giuliani and Taylor were offered a storefront that they would transform into their beachfront paradise. They weren't charged for the first year, however the building was in bad shape. Rob used his network of friends to help him renovate the space in 17 days, get the approval sticker from the inspector, and open the storefront for Fourth of July weekend.
Playa Bowls, now with around 200 locations across the United States, specializes in bowls and smoothies made from the super fruits açai and pitaya. The chain is valued between $115 million and $150 million with plans for expanding even further in states such as Alabama, Tennessee and Rhode Island.
00:00 - Intro
00:33 - What is Playa Bowls?
01:36 - Life Growing Up
02:02 - Going To College
02:52 - Meeting For The First Time
03:13 - Getting The Idea For Playa Bowls
04:52 - Launching The Eatery
05:56 - A Rocky Start
07:39 - Business Picking Up
09:37 - Opening The First Storefront
11:30 - Growing On Social Media
12:30 - Deciding To Franchise
13:47 - Hiring Executives To Grow
14:28 - Receiving A Majority Investment
15:17 - Leaving A Legacy
15:52 - Outro
Subscribe to Fortune -
th-cam.com/users/subscription_c...
Fortune Magazine is a global leader in business journalism with 55 million monthly page views and a readership of nearly 32 million, with major franchises including the Fortune 500 and the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. The new Fortune video channel dives into personal stories from business owners and entrepreneurs becoming successful in business and sharing their tips to help you reach your goals.
Website: fortune.com/
Facebook: / fortunemagazine
Twitter: / fortunemagazine
TikTok: / fortune
#health #food #acaibowl

[@tl7170]

Ask anyone who worked in the early days what a nightmare these 2 were. Fighting in manager group chats about their personal lives. And then they added Gary to really make everyone miserable lol

[@BiancaExciana]

Who the hell cares, are they bothering you now? People find anything to complain about these days...

[@davidasingleton8943]

A lot of people care. You should keep your personal life home and treat your employees well. Come on now.

[@Boomhauersdad]

@@BiancaExciana weirdo

[@johnathonjagodzinski4516]

@@BiancaExciana you are very awkward in your videos. idk what kind of shtick you got going on you like to play anime dress up regardless, consider deleting your channel. there's definitely an odd vibe to you. typa person to make the whole room silent when you walk in

[@alleytee8199]

I have been wanting to get in on a Playa Bowl Franchise - but goodness just to have one is $600,000+… need an Angel investor. But my dream is to own a Playa Bowl.. So great to see this ❤

[@Countdracula6]

Why not start your own acai bowl store? Even in the description it says 'They decided to invest $7,000 into the business'. Don't pay royalty fees for something you can do yourself.

[@void8473]

Start your own, will be better. Did you open anything at all? I work for distribuitor from brazil and i am brazilian, its the best one bc theres no addictives and sugars, if you want cheap acai and good one, lmk.

[@RealEriedianCastrelo]

Fire

[@Usalivestreamtv]

I order from Playa Bowls every morning in Montclair NJ. so convenient

[@HernanHH95]

I wonder what happened with that 33% partnership with the original franchise guy

[@govegan562]

i talked to him briefly...they had a falling out basically and they bought him out and he took that money and started sweet berry bowls...i’m not sure how he’s doing now, because i used to talk to him at his location in montclair but that has been since closed, so i’m really not sure what he’s up to now

[@MaidaEnid]

I love playa bowls, but the one in Red Bank, NJ is adding too much granola to the bowl.
I get one or two bowls in a week, but I am so disappointed, they look like granola bowls.
Nothing like the pictures on the website.😔

[@BuzzMediaUS]

There's always hard work involved in a start-up, but it's not that impressive making this much money when you overcharge for your product. Nowadays people are becoming non-consumers so a product like this is the first to be taken out of one's budget.

[@KB-lv3vo]

nahhh you dun realise how much people spend on desire and cravings. It will always be popular among young generations. Because it's addictive.

[@delrosario7453]

Don't forget the exploitation of employees ie=working for min wage w/no benefits

[@Countdracula6]

@@delrosario7453 Exploitation of employees? You mean the employees whose job it is to simply read a card that says what items to put in a blender, press 'On', and then pour it into a bowl?

[@LilyLyonMusic]

Lol I’ve been having Nutella in Açai bowls in Brazil since the 2005 so… idk